I was beyond excited and honored when Katie contacted me in June 2017 and asked me to be her Doula. What a privilege it is when someone allows you into their world. To be apart of their most vulnerable and private moments. So getting to know my clients from early pregnancy to birth, is such a gift. It is a valuable time to get to know one another and create a bond of trust. And from that bond of trust Katie allowed me to photograph her birth. To document her story of strength and to celebrate her daughters entrance into the world. I truly feel that when a woman can look back at her birth journey and see how strong and beautiful she really was, it can be so empowering.

Harper’s Birth Story

In the early morning hours of December 16th 2017, Harper’s journey began. Katie’s membranes ruptured at around 6 am and she called me to let me know she was feeling some surges. I could tell from her voice that she needed some guidance and comfort, so I finished packing my bag and headed over to be with her. She laboured on and off all day from home, with her family surrounding and supporting her. We spent the day walking the halls of her apartment building, climbing stairs and chatting excitedly about how much her life was about to change. The excitement was palpable, you can feel it in the air.

By early evening the decision was made to take the trip to the hospital in hopes of meeting her daughter soon. It seems that the day Harper chose to be born was a popular day for many other babies and the wait was long to get into triage but I have never witnessed a mother with such strength, determination and patience to meet her baby girl.

Katie laboured long and hard as her family waited patiently in the waiting room. Her partner Ryan never left her side and was a strong and powerful strength for her. I could feel the love between them and if Ryan could take the burden of her pain he would have.

In the morning of December 17th at 10:29 am their beautiful daughter Harper was born. Tears of joy were shed, along with laughter and smiles.

This was a beautiful birth to witness and it was an absolute privilege to be apart of. So here is a sneak peek of her amazing journey from woman to mother

About the author:
Hi there, I’m Giovanna and I am a doula living in Toronto, Ontario. It is an honor and a privilege to be a birth doula. Every birth touches my heart. Every birth brings a lesson, and I am grateful for finding my purpose in life.